“So, what’s everyone else doing?”
Bikini line styles aren’t quite as obvious and, well, checkable as hairstyles. But all that hair down there leaves room for plenty of dos. And while bikini line hair removal can too often leave irritation & bumps that are painful and not so cute, it is possible to achieve your ideal bikini line style without them.
We’ll save you from trying to take a quick peek in the gym locker room and let you know what’s hot (and what’s possible!) when it comes to the hair down there.
We’ll walk you through the bush, the Brazilian, and everything (EVERYTHING!!) in between, PLUS the best pain-free, long-lasting bikini hair removal methods to achieve your ideal bikini line style safely at home.
How to Get a Smooth Bikini Line
Bikini Wax Styles
An estimated 80% of women groom their pubic hair, whether partially or completely. But how you groom and what you remove is totally a personal decision!
Here are the top 7 bikini wax styles.
1. Au Natural
First things first, it needs to be said: you definitely do not *NEED* to remove anything. Many people like keeping things down there as they are. It’s normal, it’s beautiful, it’s healthy, it’s fabulous. If that’s the route you want to go down, that’s awesome! Leave the bush alone and let her grow!
2. The Bikini Touch Up
If you’re not super comfortable with a big change down there just yet, but you’re sick of your natural bikini line making swimsuit choices for you, this is a great place to start. The Touch Up is just what it sounds like: a full, mostly untouched bush, with a little clean-up around the edges where hair might peek out of bikini bottoms or underwear – usually around the tops of the thighs and at the top of the pubic bone.
3. The Classic Bikini
This classic hair removal style also targets the areas that would be visible when you are wearing a bathing suit, but with a little more style. Think of a chop instead of a trim! The Classic Bikini removes an inch or so of hair around the sides and the top of where a bikini bottom would hit. This can also be called the Standard Bikini or Bermuda Triangle.
4. The Landing Strip
Now we’re getting fancy! Also known as the French Bikini Wax, this style takes off most of the pubic hair around the front and sides of the pubic area but leaves the hair around the labia alone, leaving an elegant strip.
5. The Mini Brazilian
The Mini Brazilian involves taking all of the hair off of the front of your pubic area. What makes it a mini Brazilian instead of a full-on Brazilian? While you’ll be totally bare in the front, you leave the hair between and behind your legs untouched. (It’s kind of like a down-there mullet.)
6. The Brazilian
Take it all off. From front to back and side to side, the Brazilian leaves no pubes behind. So, even in your stringiest bikini, even in your barely-there thong, there’s nothing to hide.
Also known as The Sphinx or a Full Bikini Wax, the Brazilian can be tricky to achieve at home on your own – but if you’re particularly flexible and committed, it can be done.
7. The Freestyle
Let’s get funky. You’re already DIYing this hair removal project at home anyway… why not get creative?
When it comes to hair removal, there really are no rules. Shave out a heart, a star, Harry Potter’s lightning bolt. The options are endless (though we admit the more basic the shape the easier this whole thing will be!)
How to Get a Smooth Bikini Line
Style is one thing… execution is another. Even the sleekest bikini style might not turn out so great if it’s accompanied by angry razor burn, uncomfortable bikini bumps, or strawberry skin.
Related: Smooth Sailing: Bikini Line Hair Removal Made Easy
Here are a few tips to help you achieve a smooth bikini line:
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Remove hair less often.
Skin issues don’t arise from being hairless – it’s as a result of the hair removal process itself. Choose methods that remove hair at the root (or better yet, that remove hair permanently) for a longer-lasting look and a more comfortable feel. -
Take care of your skin before and after.
For best results, exfoliate your skin 24 hours before hair removal. Then, immediately following hair removal, soothe the skin with a calming body lotion like Aloe Coco Body Lotion. -
Use a template.
What a smooth bikini line looks like really depends on the bikini! Use a bikini bottom as a template to help you achieve a straight line and know what to remove. -
Use the right method.
Pubic hair is different from other body hair. It’s often coarser, denser, and curlier. That means a hair removal method that works well for the rest of your body may not cut it down there.
Top 3 Bikini Line Hair Removal Methods
Most Common: Waxing
When we first started talking about bikini hair removal, chances are you thought of waxing.
Whether or not it deserves to be the go-to, it certainly is. Waxing can be painful and (unless you’ve mastered the art of the at-home bikini wax – we’ve yet to meet someone who has) usually involves baring all at a salon. It offers an effective, clean, long-lasting hairless look, and it’s perhaps the easiest way to go if you have a specific style in mind.
Most Budget-Friendly: Shaving
Odds are good that you’ve already got a razor sitting there in your shower. Shaving’s cheap, it’s accessible, it’s straightforward.
But razors aren’t really designed with thick pubic hair or sensitive lady bits in mind. It can be difficult to navigate the many curves and angles and come out of it with a precise-looking bikini style – especially without cuts, ingrowns, and bikini bumps. Plus, shaving your bikini line never lasts long – you might notice stubble within a day, if not a few hours.
Exfolilating beforehand and shaving lightly with shaving cream and a sharp razor can help you stave off stubble.
Most Effective: IPL Laser Hair Removal
The best bikini line hair removal method allows you to get hair-free exactly where you want to be for good and from the comfort of your home, without any pain, hassle, or huge expenses. And that’s IPL laser hair removal for ya.
IPL hair removal devices like Lumi destroy hairs at the root using light pulses. Over time, it stops hair regrowth for a long-term look you can rock at the beach for years to come. You’ll see noticeable results after just 3-4 uses and full results after 12 uses. It’s easy to use, virtually painless, and allows you to remove unwanted pubic hair for good.
Related: Bikini Hair Removal Methods (Ranked By Pain Level)
Tips for Achieving Specific Bikini Styles
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Try it on first.
Not ready to commit to the Harry Potter indefinitely? Try using a permanent hair removal method like Lumi to remove excess hair outside the bikini line, then a temporary method like shaving or waxing to try out a different style -
Consider your wardrobe.
If your main goal is to make sure no bikini hair pokes out no matter what you’re wearing, start with your wardrobe in mind. Whether you’re just looking for a small cleanup or you’re going for tiny triangle, try using your skimpiest bikini bottom as a template to make sure hair doesn’t peek out of the top or sides. -
When in doubt, visit a pro.
We’ll be honest – it can be really tricky to achieve a perfect, precise line or shape on your own. The angles and curves and physics of it all just aren’t quite in your favor. If you have your heart set on a specific, more complicated style, consider visiting a salon for waxing, epilating, or laser hair removal. Show them a picture of the style you’re hoping to achieve and chances are, they’ll be able to help make your dreams come true.
